The ongoing crisis in Greece has exposed a deeper problem in Europe. “There are no European leaders, just a German chancellor, a French president, an Italian prime minister and others who … never look much beyond their local political interests.”

The deadline is nearing for the Greek parliament to decide whether to accept mandatory austerity measures and receive an EU bailout…or risk defaulting on sovereign debt. The unions are voicing their opinion with a strike. “Workers across Greece walked off the job Tuesday at the start of a 48-hour general strike as lawmakers debate a new round of austerity reforms designed to win the country additional rescue loans needed to avoid bankruptcy.” There won’t be long to wait. The vote is due on Thursday at the latest.

When North Korea opened fire sixty-one years ago, a war began that claimed 33,000 U.S. soldiers, 100,000 Chinese and 2 million Koreans. Today, relations remain in disarray. 2010 marked the deadliest year since the armistice. Six-party talks have little chance of restarting after the North’s recent fatal attacks on a South Korean submarine and villagers on Yeonpyeong Island. Senator John Kerry writes, “The U.S. response to all of this has been measured but firm. It has also been inadequate.” The Senator believes the U.S. needs to unilaterally “engage North Korea directly,” even if this is on a limited basis. The process will be slow, but it needs to begin.

“The number of adults with diabetes in the world has more than doubled since 1980,” rising from 153 million to 347 million. While some of the increase can be blamed on diet and rising rates of obesity, researchers from Imperial College London and Harvard University attribute 70% of the increase to longer lifespans.

The price of corn has more than doubled in less than a year. Much of the blame lies with subsidies for ethanol, which now consumes 40% of the corn crop. “Washington has managed simultaneously to help drive up food prices and add tens of billions of dollars to the deficit, while arguably increasing energy use and harming the environment.”

On July 1, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) turns 90. Despite this milestone, the CCP’s future looks uncertain. “The inevitable slowing in economic growth,” will strain relations between the middle-class and the CCP. Moreover, “tensions between China’s prosperous middle classes and its poor will make it a harder country to govern.” The CCP may feel forced to repress an increasingly restive middle class, further worsening relations. “In other Asian countries a taste for democracy has risen with income; and repression would mean withdrawing freedoms from people used to their liberty gradually increasing.” The CCP is in for a bumpy ride. The next 90 are far from assured.

“Bond investors are already pricing Greece’s government debt as though it has defaulted.” The Financial Times presents the four scenarios most likely to play out in the ongoing Greek saga: Disorderly default, Orderly default, Staggering on and Leaving the euro. None of them are pretty and the actual course will likely be revealed in the next few weeks.

“Bond investors are already pricing Greece’s government debt as though it has defaulted.” The Financial Times presents the four scenarios most likely to play out in the ongoing Greek saga: Disorderly default, Orderly default, Staggering on and Leaving the euro. None of them are pretty and the actual course will likely be revealed in the next few weeks.

After seven years, Japan is again at “the top of the computer arms race.” Installed at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (Riken), the K Computer “performs more than eight quadrillion (8,000 trillion) calculations per second” and is scheduled to hit 10 quadrillion in 2012 when installation is complete. Already, the K Computer “is more powerful than the next five fastest computer systems combined, and can perform three times as many calculations per second as the No. 2 super computer.”

“The largest population shift in human history” is taking place. Every month over 5 million people leave the countryside for cities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. By 2050, an additional 3.1 billion people are expected to live in cities. In 1950, 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas. By 2050, 70% will live in urban areas. This massive migration offers both opportunity and danger. It is one of the forces behind “revolutions in the Arab world” and other current events. “Never in human history have so many people changed their locations and lifestyles so quickly,” yet this trend remains little noticed and misunderstood.“The largest population shift in human history” is taking place. Every month over 5 million people leave the countryside for cities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. By 2050, an additional 3.1 billion people are expected to live in cities. In 1950, 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas. By 2050, 70% will live in urban areas. This massive migration offers both opportunity and danger. It is one of the forces behind “revolutions in the Arab world” and other current events. “Never in human history have so many people changed their locations and lifestyles so quickly,” yet this trend remains little noticed and misunderstood.

Most politicians worry about “saving” social security. The best solution might be “raising” it. Social security currently pays out 39% “of the average worker’s preretirement earnings,” but this could be raised to 50%. Why? Nearly 34% of “Americans have nothing saved for retirement — not even a hundred bucks.”